There are three main things most of tourists do in Tanzania - Safari in Serengeti, hiking Mt.Kilimanjaro, Roaming in Zanzibar. I didn't do first two activities, but had a nice time in Zanzibar.

In order to wait for Zambian visa and interview for U.S.A visa. I decided to visit Zanzibar for a week rather than just wait in Dar es salaam. My plan was going there alone till meeting up Sasha on ferry. I took the cheapest slow ferry to Zanzibar, cost 20USD and 3 hours trip, it seems all the foreigners only can buy VIP class ticket, there is a room for VIP in ferry with air-condition and nice seats and sofas, I met Sasha here, we started to talk, we knew each other were solo traveling to Zanzibar, and there are some places in Zanzibar has no dorm, so...we can share the room together! The ferry reached the port of Zanzibar around 16:30, it was surprised we need to fill up the arrival/departure record, and have a stamp on passport, even it's part of Tanzania. From the harbour is close to the place to stay, just 10 mins walk. We did a bit of bargain. getting really good deal for private twin room, over-expected!

There are multi cultures have been in Zanzibar, Persian& Arab& Indian& Swahili, even chinese traders was here hundreds years ago. now people are mainly Swahili, but most of them are muslin. A lot of building are like Indian style, for example, the front doors have plenty of golden round stuff as onion but the top is sharp as pin, it is from Indian against elephants, but no use in Zanzibar...no elephants here! We visited old slavery market in the centre of stone town, there is a cellar in church used to imprison slaves, small base but for 80 ppl...it was horrible story here. We spent almost whole day to walk around in stone town, quite interesting of it.

We visited mainly visited two beaches in Zanzibar - Nungwi and Peja. Nungwi has good beach for playing water and swimming because deep enough, but too business to me. Sasha and me preferred Paje much more, the beaches are much bigger, quiet, even water is shallow half of day, but it's much cozy and relax. The color of sea is really turquoise! I love this color so much, it's different with beaches in Taiwan. The place we stayed is really tropical style, and the ground in dorm is sand, such a good atmosphere here. Early morning is the best time to calm down on the beach, almost no ppl there and seeing the sun come up from horizon, it made me so peaceful.

A week in Zanzibar was like a dream, it was really happy time with Sasha there. Now I got the U.S.A visa for middle america and permit to Zambia, already bought train ticket from Dar es salaam to Zambia, it take around 48 hrs. It's first time I take train more than one day, I'm sure it will be fun...and...I'm coming!!! VICTORIA FALL!!!

I was an unexpected happen. Coming back Nairobi from Lake Naivasha, I bought bus ticket next day to Moshi then heading to accommodation tonight. Talking with the staff, they asked me "what r u gonna do in Moshi and Tanzania?" I told them I will join in the safari tour in Serengati National Park. There are two most popular national parks for doing safari, one is Maasai Mara in Kenya; another is Serengeti in Tanzania, and Serengeti is 10 times bigger than Maasai Mara. I thought if I only do one safari in this trip, maybe Serengeti is better owing to bigger. But hostel staff told it's not really true, at that moment most animals are still in Maasai Mara, they will start to move to serengeti around September and October gradually. Of course I cannot totally believe immediately, traveling in Africa need to pay attention to marketing words. After I checked on internet, it show between July to October is the best to see great migration - Animals cross Maasai river where having crocodiles back to serengeti! In couple minutes thinking, I changed my my mind to do Safari in Maasai Mara in Kenya, plus Kenya is a little bit cheaper then Tanzania.

Next day, the van car came to hostel to pick me up in early morning, it was a pretty long way from Nairobi to Maasai Mara, it took almost 7 hrs!! Driver picked up other members on the way, totally 6 ppl in this group including driver, it was good start not too crowded. Finally, we arrived Maasai Mara Reserve around 4pm, our campsite was outside of entry, we left luggage in tents then went to national park straight away! In 3 mins drove, the first animals we met on the roadside was....Wildebeests!!! it was my first time to see this animals, more than 10 thousands in this Reserve!! They looks really weird to me, body looks like cow, but legs are like antelopes...and face...I don't know what it looks like...lol. I checked on internet, Wildebeests are a genus of antelopes, even looks like not in my opinion. Their were many gazelles and other antelopes on the way, but usually they don't approach car, even keep a certain distance from ppl, they have more awareness. Car stopped, their were few elephants on the opposite side of pond, 100 meters far away from us, one big and one small, seems like mom and kid. Elephants looks like lovely, but actually they are dangerous animals, characters of wild elephants are aggressive and brutal if u approach them. So usually ppl watch them far away, otherwise, even car is consist of metals, could not against the attack from them( Looks how heavy they are!!). Some buffaloes on the side of pond, they looks like judge in my opinion! I am always joking buffaloes are African judge, but don't forget....they are dangerous too! Vegetarian not equal to kind in wild world. Keeping driving, we saw many cars gathered in one spot, must be something there. It was Lions!! But only one couple lions, it's kind of unusual, most of time lions are group. Guild said they r dating, not sure he was serious or not. In fact, it was kind of weird situation at the moment, more then 10 cars parked around this couple lions, even they looks didn't care us. Suddenly, the male lion stood up, walked to the back of female one....starting to have a sex. Really surprised ppl here! So lucky us, haha. Sun started to go down the horizon, we came back to campsite for a good rest for tomorrow.

Second day, we woke up early for staying more longer in Maasai Mara. Luckily, first animal was cheetah. It was really close! Such one of most beautiful pattern. He was roaming on the street in few minutes then going away to the forest. we found lions again, but it was a big group this time, around 10 members, and some food( Animals corpses) around on the left side, one female lion was protecting corpse of wildebeest and vultures around trying to be in on the action; on the right side, a group of lions, two lions ware eating, about 50 meters distance and grass were a little bit high...so couldn't see clearly, but I think it was wildebeest also. The way today was long to Maasai river, we saw giraffes on the way, their colors would be darker if getting older, isn't it same as banana? And very long queue of wildebeests on the street, seems like they are migrating now. We arrived Maasai river at 1pm, unfortunately, there were no animals cross river, but saw a lot of hippos and few crocodiles. On the way back to campsite, we saw a huge elephants family, they are so attractive but no dare to be more closer. After going back to campsite, I decided to visit Maasai village, I am always interested in aboriginal or tribe. They showed me around the village and their house it made by wood and cow waste, very environmental. How to drill woods for fire and danced together. It was quiet fun, but in my opinion is not really worth it, owing to a bit tourists feeling, and entry fee is not cheap for backpacker. But if budget is enough, it's good to visit it. Darkness came, the safari tour was almost finished, third day had no safari anymore, just heading back to Nairobi after breakfast.